Television pick-up apparatus



July 17, 1956 R. THEILE 2,755,408

TELEVISION PICK-UP APPARATUS med oct. e, 1951 s sheets-sheet 1 In venor R. THEILE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 TELEVISION PICK-UP APPARATUS July 417, 1956 July 17, 1956 R. THEILE 2,755,408

TELEVISION PICK-UP APPARATUS Filed Oct. 6, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 9; am: f5 i m www! :l Mm

` (32 [n ventor TUT /aad PMM/ rie/7e By f-g Attorney.:

United States Patent TELEVISION PICK-UP APPARATUS `Richard V'1`heile, Cambridge, England, assigner to Pye `-Limited,"Cambridge, England, -a British company Application October 6, 1951, Serial No. 250,047 C-laims;priorty,'application Great Britain October 6, 1950 20 Claims. (Cl. 315-11) This invention relates to television Iapparatus .for gen erating video signals, which comprises a television pickup tube.

.The present invention provides Itelevision apparatus .comprising 'a television pickup tube containing a photoeathode .adapted to emit photo-electrons under lthe -in- .uenceof a light image projected thereon, a double-'sided .target .in the tu-be of plate-like perforate structure com- .prising an insulator or .semi-conductor on one side and .a .conductor forming Ian 'electr-ode on its yopposite side, means .for focussing photo-electrons released from the --photo-cathode as an electron image upon the insulating .or semi-.conducting side of the target to develop -and store ron .that side a pattern of local potentials in response to the electron image, means'for scanning the 0pposite side of the target with a beam of low velocity electronsnneans whereby a .bi'assing potential can fbe applied tto said target electrode -to bias fthe :target with respectrto the:.1source .cfu-the scanning `.beam so that .either the target tendsto return `electrons ofthe scanning beam .impin-ging :thereon ftowardstheirfsource but .can allow electrons from 1thefbeam .to .pass .through the Ainterstices .of .the target runder .the .inv'lluence iof Iand .in accordance with local gpo- Atentials A.acquired by the potential storage side (i. e. the .insulating or .semi-.conducting side) of the .target .in response to the electron image, or theitarget tends lto allow the `beam .electrons :arriving .at its intersticesto pass there- .through Abut can `.prevent such :passage :of .electrons from the beam under the inuence of vand in .accordance with local potentials `acquired y.by -the storage side of :the target, .an .electrode in .the tube .for collecting Vbea-m electrons whichapasslthrcngh .the target, means whereby.beam electrons which. pass through the interstices @of the target :are prevented :from returning to the .'target, and means whereby the potential pattern acquired .by .the storageside of thetargeteanfbechanged after each scan.

-T he ,present .invention .also provides Y:a televisionjpicktuptnbecompxising. an evacuated envelope containing fa doublesided .perforate .target .pljate .comprising `an -insulater .or semi-.conductor .on onev side .and -sa conductor forming. electrode on theopp osi-te side, a 4photo-cathode v.arianged-at .the `insulating or :'semi-conducting -side of .thetarget and spaced therefrom, .means arranged :at the conducting .sidezof Vthe target .for ,generating Ya .beam .of :electrons Tfor .scanning lthe conducting .side-.of the target, .anda .collector elect-rode arranged 'at tthea-insulating orl-semifcondncting .side of the` target..-for.co1lect' ingelectrons-passing fromsaid .beam .through the .interstic'es of the .targehthe arrangement .of said .collector electrodev permitting Y,photo-electrons emitted'from .the photo-cathode 'to impinge upon fthe insulating or semiconducting side of the target.

' 'The target electrode, 'photo-cathode, 'beam-*generatingmeans Aand* collector electrode of the tube jai'e furg nishedrwith leads sealed Ithrough the envelopev wall'for applying t-o them their operating potentials. ,"Fo'r'operatin'glthef Stube, "mea-ns are vprovided "for accelerating 'and yiev'cussing:upon the Emmi-ating or-.semiconducting side 2,755,408 Patented July 17, 17956 ICC ofthe .target photo-electrons released from the photocathode, and .for `causing the scanning beam of-electrons |to .scan .the :target and to approach it at `low velocity .and substantially normal incidence. Such means may comprise electrostatic `or electromagnetic devices, or :both electrostatic Land electromagnetic devices, .and may be arranged within or outside the tube envelope, according to the nature of the ydevices employed.

kIn one preferred form, the target consists of a ine.-wi.re mesh having lits -wires covered on one side of the mesh with .a coating of insulating or semi-conducting material, which may be deposited -on the mesh wire by evaporation, for example.

For a clearer understanding of lthe invention, some embodimentsthereof are shown diagrammaticallylbylwray of examp1e,.in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l depicts one embodiment.

Fig. 2 is an explanatory diagram.

Fig. 3 depicts another embodiment.

Fig. 4 depicts a modification `of Fig. 3.

Figs. .5 and 6 illustrate arrangements for incorporating an electron multiplier.

Fig. .7 illustrates .an arrangement .providing a target .havinga controlled .time constant.

Figs. 8 to .1-1 illustrate arrangements for erasing .the

potential .pattern after scanning.

`In the several gures of the drawings, like parts yare denoted by the samereference numerals.

.ln .the embodiment of Fig. `1, .a .cylindrical evacuated tube 4envelope 10 has a at end wall on which a .conltinuous .photo-.cathode .11.is formed. At the :other end fof rthe tube is mounted an electron .gun 12, .and intermediately .is .mounted a target plate 13, v.14 parallelto .thephotofcathode and spaced apart from it and from lthe gun. The .target .consists :of a iine wire mesh Yelectrode 13, the wires .of which are coated on .the:..side of the .mesh facing the photoecathode witha thin V.layer .14of .insulating .material At :the photo-cathode vend, the .envelope is surrounded .by an .image focussing coil l15 `constitu-ting a .magnetic llens .for focussing photo-electronenleased from 'the 4.photcathode .under the .iniluence .of .a light image focussed thereon by an optical lens .system 1.6.linto .an .electron imageon :the coating 14.. Anelec- .trode 17, :shown as jan internal wall .coating -on :the envelope, .serves to..accelerateithephoto-electrons 'towards the target. Forv the purpcseof illustration, it .is .assumed `in .this embodiment that the .photo-electrons are .accelerated -to impinge on the coating'14 at high velocity such `as to .cause the .bombarded .e'lementsfo'f the .coating to --emit secondary electrons inthe ratio :to incident photo- -electrons rof greater than `unity, thus charging fthe .bombarded elements positively. It may .be .assumed,..for example, that .the me'sh 13 and accelerating .electrode 1'7 .areheld at ground potential land thephotoeathoden .at a negative potential of, say l,0.00vol:ts. fIn the vicini-ty of themesh 13 atits coated side .is a collector elec- :trode`18 Vshown :as animernal wall A.coating non l,the envelope, and this electrode .is held v.atra highrpos-iftive .potential v.relatively to the mesh. That part v'of the envelope between the `.gun @12.and the target is provided with means, ,includingexternal focussing and deeeting coilassemblies .19, of a conventional .typefor orthogonal `scanning,suchnas are .used in .an .imagevorthicom these .means beingadap-ted Ito ldeiiect .and `.control the .beam 20 .generated by the gun so thatthe beam velectrons .a1- rive at the target `sub-stantial-ly normal thereto and .at substantially zero velocity.

The. mesh -13 is biassed withrespect to the cathode 21 of the gun, so 'that under dark conditions, i. e. inthe Vabsence of photo-electrons bombarding the coatingjlt, the mes'h tepels Aall the .beam electrons whichaccordingly return to 'the gun, as illustrated at A 4in Fig. 2. In the drawings, the mesh is schematically shown negatively `biassed with respect to cathode 21 by the interposition of electrons, which are collected by the collector 18, and acquire positive potentials, as illustrated at B in Fig. 2of magnitude depending upon the number of photo-electrons striking the elements which is, in turn, dependent upon the brightness of the corresponding elements of the light image.- These potentials malte the target effectively positive at the interstices of the mesh 13 `in the vicinity ot" the charged elements of the coating 14, `so that when the scanning beam arrives at these interstices` some of its electrons pass through them, as illustrated at C in Fig. 2, in number dependent upon the local effective potential, and these electrons are guided to the collector 18 while the remainder of the beam electrons are returned to the gun, as illustrated at D in Fig. 2. The current obtained from the collector 1S thus includes a fluctuating component due to the electrons which have been allowed to pass through the mesh, which component is representative of the distribution of light in the light image and accordingly` may be utilised to develop video signal voltages across a suitable load 22 in the collector lead.

Although it has been assumed in this embodiment that high velocity photo-electron bombardment of the coating 14- is utilised to charge its elements positively, the alternative mode of operation earlier described may be utilised instead, in which the mesh 13 is biassed with respect to the cathode 21 so as to allow the beam electrons which arrive at its interstices to pass therethrough, in the absence of photo-electron bombardment, and the` photoelectron bombardment of the coating 14 is elected at low velocity to charge the coating elements negatively so that the charged elements prevent beam electrons from passing through the mesh interstices in the vicinity of the elements, in accordance with the potentials of the elements.

Precaution is taken that the magnetic field of the beam focussing assembly is ended in the vicinity of the target, as illustrated, so that in the space between the target and the collector there is present only the fringing field of the focussing assembly, which serves to guide the electrons from the target on to the collector. Therelis also an electrostatic field between the mesh 13 and collector 18, due to their difference of potential, and this field also assists in guiding the electrons to the collector. Precaution is taken also to avoid interference of the field of the image focussing coil with the guiding elds in the control space between the target and the collector. The space between the target and the` photo-cathode 11 is made suiciently large to minimise such interference,.but a compensating coil 23 may additionally be provided to neutralise the end field of the image focussing coil 15 and thereby minimise interference.

I n Fig. 1 magnetic means are depicted for focussing the photo-electrons and for focussing and deflecting the scanning beam. However, electrostatic means maybe employed for either or both of these purposes. For example, Fig. 3 shows a modification in which electrostatic means are employed for scanning the target with the low velocity beam electrons, the electrostatic means being there depicted as an electrostatic immersion lens 24, which includes in it the target mesh 13 and the focal point of which substantially coincides with the deflection centre. Instead of an immersion lens, an arrangement as shown in Fig. 4 may be employed, comprising a series of electrodes 25 between the gun 12 and the target mesh 13, which are held at progressively increasing potentials andl adapted to submit the electrons in the beam to accelerating electrostatic fields for collimating the beam so that it can be decelerated without excessive loss of definition so as to arrive at the mesh 13 with substantially zero velocity, by means of a decelerating mesh electrode 26 between the electrodes 25 and the mesh 13 and held at a positive potential with respect to the target mesh 13.

In Figs. 3 and 4, coils 19a are shown for detlecting the beam 2t) magnetically but, of course, electrostatic deilecting means may be used instead. Also, an electrostatic lens may be substituted for the image focus coil 15. The field for guiding the electrons on to the collector 18 is provided by the electrostatic eld between the `collector and the mesh 13.

In Figs. l, 3 and 4 the signal output is illustrated as being taken from the collector 13. However, an electron multiplier may be incorporated in the tube in each case to increase the signal output. Fig. 5 depicts one example, applied to the tube of Fig. l. Instead of taking the output signal direct oit the collector 18, as in Fig. l, the collector 18 in Fig. 5 is activated to make it highly secondary emissive, and an openwork anode 27 is provided in front of the collector so that electrons from the target reach the collector through the interstices of the anode 27 and cause the emission of secondary electrons which are collected by the anode 27, from which the signal output of the tube is taken off across the load `22 `in the anode lead. It will be apparent that a similar arrangement may be applied to the tubes of Figs. 3 and 4. The collector 10 and anode 27 form a single-stage electron multiplier, but of course, a multiplier having any desired number of stages of electron multiplication may be provided instead.

Fig. 6 shows an alternative arrangement in which, in* stead of taking the signal from the collector 18, with or without electron multiplication, as exemplied in Figs. 1 and 5, the signal is developed from the return electron beam current 20a, the electrons of which are multiplied by an electron multiplier 28 of as many stages as desired, which is arranged around the gun 12, the output signal being taken olf from the nal anode 29 of the multiplier 28, across the load 22 in series with the anode 29. For the purpose of illustration, Fig. 6 depicts the described electron multiplier arrangement applied to the tube of Fig. l, but it will be evident that a similar arrangement may be applied to the tubes of Figs. 3 and 4.

In all the embodiments described, the target coating 14 may consist of a semi-conducting material having a suitable time constant, as earlier described, for changing the potential pattern between successive scans. Of the arrangements already described for providing a target of adjustable time constant, Fig. 7 depicts one example applied, for the purpose of illustration, to the tube ot"r Fig. l. In this example, the adjustment of time constant is effected by means of light irradiation, and accordingly the target coating 14 consists of a photo-conductive material having a very high dark resistance and a time constant at dark resistance which is higher than the optimum value desired. A suitable light source 30 is arranged to irradiate the coating 14 continuously so as to reduce its resistance and time constant, and a suitable device 31 is arranged for adjusting and setting the intensity of irradiation and thus the time constant of the coating to any desired value. The light employed, whether visible or invisible, is preferably of a spectral composition to which the coating 14 is responsive but the photo-cathode 11` is substantially insensitive. For example, with atphoto-cathode respon sive to visible light, the coating 14 may be irradiated with infra-red. With infra-red irradiation, owing to its heating effect, the coating may consist of any semi-conducting material since the resistance of any such material changes under the influence of heat. Y Instead of providing a coating 14 having a time constant such as to cause the potential pattern to change between scans 'by continuous charge leakage through the coating, means may :be provided, as iillustrated in ',Figs. -8 Ato l1, for erasing the pattern. Figs. \8 lto 'l0 show erasing arrangements applied to the ltube'o'f Fig. ,1, for the purpose of Aillustration, but similar arrangements lmay obviously be applied to the tubes of'Figs. 3 and 4. Fig.-8 shows one arrangement using a photo-conductive coating 14 of Vvery highV dark resistance. A suitable source 33 of light (visible or invisible) `to which the coating is responsive is .arranged to irradiate ,the coating intermittently with a 'light pulse during each -frame blankingperiod, so as to reduce the `resistance of the `coating suiciently to cause elimination lof the stored potential pattern. In the figure 32 maybe regarded 'as graphically representing either the 'light pulses emitted by the. source 33, or controlling voltage yor current pulses applied to the `source ,3.3 toproduce Athe light pulses. The source 33 may, for example, be a lcathode ray tube with means forproducing a light raster on its 'screen of any convenient type. "Such means lare well-known in the art and need not be described orillus- Atrated here. The ypulsing is preferably arranged to be operative only during a portion of the frame blanking period, as and for the purpose earlier mentioned.

iFig. 9 shows another arrangement in which the light source 33, instead of directly irradiati-ng the Vtarget coating 14 with Athe light pulses, is arranged similarly 'toirra diate the 4photo-cathode 11, thus causing it to emit a pulse of diffuse photo-electrons which bombard the coating 14 (which need not in this case be photo-conductive) and so eliminate the potential pattern. Fig. 10 shows `a similar arrangement to Fig. 9, but withthe addition Vof negative voltage'pulses 34 applied to the collector 18 sil multaneously vwith the application of the light pulses, in order to return to the coating 14 any electrons emitted therefrom under the photoelectron bombardment.

Fig. ll Aillustrates afurther arrangement for erasing the potential pattern -by employing a photo-conductive coating 14 and scanning it with a light spot obtainedfrom the raster of an external cathode ray tube 35 and following, with a short time delay, the electron beam 'scanning the other side of the target. In this 1'igure,the trace of the 'scanning kbeam on the target is indicated in `broken lines vand the following trace of the light spot is indicated infull lines.

AIn the drawings, the mesh 13Y is shown as being 'biassed slightly negatively with respect to the gun cathode 21, but this is not ynecessarily so, as the mesh bias is, in general, substantially zero, that is to say, it'may be zero or slightly negative or slightly positive according to other operating conditions. Therefore, in"this respect'the `drawings are merely illustrative.

nI claim:

'1. Television lapparatus 'comprising a television pickup tube containing a photo-cathode adapted to emitphotoelectrons under the inuence of a light image projected thereon, a double-sided target in the tube of mesh structure comprising an insulator or semi-conductor on one side and a conductor forming an electrode on its opposite side, means for focussing photo-electrons released from the photo-cathode as an electron image upon the insulating or semi-conducting side of the target to develop and store on that side a pattern of local potentials in response to the electron image, means for scanning the opposite side of the target with a beam of low velocity electrons, means for applying a biassing potential to said target to bias it with respect to the source 0f the scanning beam, and such as to allow beam electrons to pass through said target in number proportional to the strength of the electron image formed on said target, an electrode in the tube for collecting said beam electrons which have passed through the target, means for preventing beam electrons which pass through the interstices of the target from returning to the target, and means other than the scanning beam for changing the potential pattern acquired by the storage side of the target after each scan.

each elementary area of the `target when -scanned returns all incident beam electrons 'towards the beamfsource 3. Apparatus asclairned in claim 1, comprising further means for so biassing said'target with respect to=the Cathode source of the scanning beam-thatin the absence of photo-electrons striking the storage side of the target, all 'beam electrons arriving at'the interstices of the target can pass-therethrough.

4. Apparatus as claimed-in-'claim l, in which, forchangin-g 'the potential pattern of the target after each lscan, the storage side of the target is lmade from a semi-conducting material, the resistance, and hence thetime constant, of which changes under the influence of suitable energy applied to the rmaterial and in which a suitable source for supplying Asuch energy to the material -is -provided, together with means for adjusting the intensity rof the applied energy so vas thereby Vto adjust vthe resistance and hence lthe time constant of the material.

5. Apparatus as claimedv in claim A4, in `which the 'storage surface of ythe target consists of Ia semi-conducting material, and means are'pro'vided vfor heating lthe material so 4as thereby `to reduce its resistance and time constant, means also being provided for Aadjusting the intensity lof heating so as thereby to adjust the Aresistance and hence thetime constant of the material.

6. Apparatus as vclaimed in claim 5, in 'which the heating lis eiected by irradiation lof the lmaterial `with-radiant heat energy.

"7. Apparatus as claimed in claim l, in which, for changing the potential pattern of the target lafter each scan, the storage `sideof'the targetismade'of a lphotoconductive material `having Va veryfhig'h dark-resistance and in which Ia light source is 'arranged for illuminating the material with ilight to which it 'is lphoto-sensitive, suitable means also being provided 'for adjusting vthe yintensity 'of the illumination so kas thereby yto adjust the resistance and hencethe time constant ofthe material.

8. Apparatus as claimed :in claim 7, in'which thelight for the illumination hasfa vspectral composition lto which the photo-cathode is substantially insensitive in order to avoid interference with the photo-cathode by light reflected on to it from thetarget -9. VApparatus as claimed in claim l`in which the 'means for changing the potential-pattern ofthe target afterv each scan comprises means 'for erasing ypoint by vpomt the acquired potentials after scanning Vby a scanning process operating on the storage Vside ofithe vtarget with ;a suitable phase `delay while the scanning electron beam is scanning the opposite side of thetarget.

*10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9, in .whichfor the purpose of erasing the 'pattern the storage 'side of the target consists of a photo-conductive material which has a very high dark resistance.

1l. Apparatus as claimed in claim l, in which, the means for changing the potential pattern of the target after each scan comprises means for erasing the acquired potentials operating to erase the whole potential pattern during the frame blanking period, preferably during only an initial portion of that period in order to allow time within that period for a fresh pattern to develop before scanning by the electron beam recommences.

l2. Apparatus as claimed in claim l1, in which for the purpose of erasing the pattern the storage side of the target consists of a photo-conductive material which has a very high dark resistance.

13. Apparatus as claimed in claim l2, in which a scanning light spot is caused to scan the photo-conductive side of the target with a short time delay following the scanning electron beam scanning the opposite side of the target so that shortly after the beam is scanned any elementary area on the conducting side of the target, the

light spot scans the corresponding element on the storage side of the target and erases the potential thereat.

14. A television pick-up tube comprising an evacuated envelope containing a double-sided mesh target comprising an insulator or semi-conductor at one side and a conductor forming an electrode on the opposite side, a photo-cathode located at one end of the tube to face the insulating or semi-conducting side of the target and spaced therefrom, means located at the other end of said tube and facing the conducting side of the target for generating a beam of electrons for scanning the conducting side of the target, means for applying a biassing potential to said target'to bias it with respect to the source of the scanning beam and such as to allow beam electrons to pass through said target in numbcrproportonal to the strength of the electron image formed on said target, a collector electrode located between said target and said photo-cathode at the insulatingor semi-conducting side of the target for collecting electrons passing from said beam through the interstices of the target, the arrangement of said collector electrode permitting photoelectrons emitted from the photo-cathode to impinge upon the insulating orsemi-conducting side of the target, and means other than the scanning beam for changing the potential 'pattern acquired by the said side of the target that comprises an insulator or semi-conductor after each scan.

l5. A tube as claimed in claim 14, in which electromagnetic devices are provided for accelerating and focussing upon the insulating or semi-conducting sideof the target photo-electrons released from the photo-cathode and for causing the scanning beam of electrons to scan the target and to approach it at low velocity and substantialiy normal incidence.

16. A tube as claimed in claim 14, in which both electrostatic and electromagnetic devices are provided for accelerating and focussing upon the insulating or semi- Conducting side of the target photo-electrons released from the photo-cathode and for causing the scanning beam of electrons to scan the target and to approachit at low velocity and substantially normal incidence.

17. A tube as claimed in claim 14, in which the target consists of a ne wire mesh having its wires covered on one side of the mesh with a coating of insulating or semiconducting material.

18. Apparatus as claimed in claim 14, in which the storage side of the target consists of a coating of any semi-conducting material that has the property of having a suitable time constant which will allow the charges acquired by elementary areas of the storage surface to electrons under the inuence of a light ,image` projected thereon, a double-sided target in the tube of mesh structure, comprising an insulator or semi-conductor on one side and a conductor forming an electrode on its opposite side,means for focussing photo-electrons released from `the photo-cathode as an electron image upon the insulating or semi-conducting side of the target to develop and store on that side a pattern of local potentials in response to the electron image, means for scanning the opposite side of the target with a beam of low velocity electrons, means for applying a biassing potential to said target to bias it with respect to the source of the scanning beam and such as to allow beam electrons to pass through said target in number proportional to the strength of the electron image formed on said target, an electrode in the tube and forming part` of an electron-multiplier for collecting said beam electrons which have passed through the target, means for preventing beam electrons which pass through the interstices of the target from returning to the target, and means for charging the potential pattern acquired by the storage side of the target after each scan.

20. A television pick-up tube comprising an Vevacuated envelope containing a double-sided mesh target comprising an insulator or semi-conductor at one side and a conductor forming an electrode on the opposite side, a photo-cathode located at one end of the tube to face the insulating or semi-conducting side of the target and spaced therefrom, means located at theother end of said tube and facing the conducting side of the target `for generating a beam of electrons for scanning the conducting side of the target, means for applying a biassing potential to said target to bias it with respect to the source of the scanning beam and such as to allow beam electrons to pass through said target in number proportional to the strength of the electron-image formed on said target, a kcollector electrode located between said target and said photocathode at the insulating or semi-conducting side of the target and forming part of an electron multiplier for collecting electrons passing from said beam through the interstices of the target, the arrangement of said collector electrode permitting photo-electrons yemitted from the photo-cathode to impinge upon the insulating or semiconducting side of the target, and means for changing the potential pattern of the said side of the target that comprises an insulator or semi-conductor, after each scan.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED` STATES PATENTS fair 

